Ravi Shastri terms player salaries ‘peanuts’, bats for hike

Former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri is unhappy with the increase in pay the Team India players got recently. The popular cricket commentator has also backed the reported demand of the players for a bigger hike while calling the recent increase by the BCCI as ‘peanuts’.

Ravi Shastri was quoted in a report by NDTV, saying: “Not satisfied with these revised pay structure. It’s (what they are getting) nothing, (Rs) 2 crore is peanuts. How much is an Australian (cricketer) getting?”

The former India cricket captain​ further went on to add how an important Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara having no contract with any franchise team in Vivo IPL 2017, and as a result, would miss out on massive payment opportunities.

Ravi Shastri said: “The grade contracts of a Test player should be the highest. (Cheteshwar) Pujara should be the highest, at par with top players. Your A grade contracts have to be massive.

“That is the best grade, where an A grade player like Pujara gets a massive amount and is not bothered whether he plays IPL or not. He will be happy and say ‘I can play two months of country cricket’ and go (to England)”, Ravi Shastri further commented.

Ravi Shastri

Last month, the BCCI had made the retainers for all contracted players in the Rs. 2 crore, Rs. 1 crore and Rs.50 lakh by doubling their amounts respectively for the three graded categories A, B and C.

The BCCI also raised the match fees of the players to INR 15 lakh, INR 6 lakh and INR 3 lakh per Test match, ODI and T20I respectively.

According to some media reports, the Indian cricketers are of the opinion that players from Australia, England and South Africa were being paid much higher by their respective boards in comparison to what they are getting from the BCCI.